To those of you who have followed my ramblings -- Last September I had a bad fall (of the vertical, not the seasonal kind) and fractured my back. I've recovered to some extent, but not completely, so that I'm not driving and have to walk with the help of a walker. This is hardly ideal for winkling out new wines, so that, with many regrets, I've concluded that I can no longer keep my wine blog going. As for what I'd hoped to accomplish, it now seems certain that the PLCB will long outlive me. Thank you, one and all, for reading my often disconnected musings, anD God bless you all.

Donna Irene Umbria Rosso 2013

In the manner of all very young Italian reds, this Umbrian requires a very long breathing period (three hours at a minimum) lest it taste harsh, tannin saturated, and bitter. Given that, it softens up nicely. $12.99, a dollar less in N.Y.

Quinta de Gomariz Alvarinho 2009

Alvarinhos are grown in Northern Portugal, just across the border from Spanish Galicia. They tend to be a curious mixture of tart and sweet (think of Chinese sweet and sour food). This one has been reduced in price given its age so that the end result tends to have both opposing qualities exaggerated. If that kind of exotic effect is your thing, you may like it. Very overpriced at $11.99.

Casalone Rosso Toscano 2006

A blend of Cabernet, Merlot, and San Giovese, this rather assertive Tuscan red is all but undrinkably tart upon first opening. Once it's breathed for a couple of hours though, it becomes quite civilized, with plum and red cherry elements, and even a perceptible chocolate note. It's holding up nicely under its age but, at $12.99,is surely overpriced.

Montefiore Moscato d'Asti 2011

The Muscat grape has been grown in the Mediterrenean region for over three thousand years and until relatively recently informed our taste of what a vinified white grape should taste like: it's semi-sweet. This one from Piedmont tastes of white peach and apple, with some slightly bubbly notes and quite a bit of fragrance and underlying caramel. It's unmistakably a dessert wine and drinking it as an accompaniment to main dishes would clearly not correspond to today's taste. $9.99.

Ramon Bilbao Valinas Albarino 2010

This white Rias Baixas from Galicia (Spain, not Poland) is light, fragrant, with nicely blended flavors of melon and citrus. It's certainly at least a year beyond its "drink by" date, but, with its screw top, has hung in there nicely. (While I'm deeply suspicious of any red with a screw top, whites are quite another story). At $11.99 not exactly cheap, but a nice quaff.

Callabriga 2010

This strikes me as a particularly nice year of this Portuguese red blend from the Douro region, also famous for its Ports. A bit on the tart side, with a tannin overload on opening, it will soon soften into appealing plum amd cherry elements, complementing any red meat. $9.99.